Solitary chicken - need advice

[Janty]

OK, it's a bit News of the Worldish but here goes...

 

Last December I picked up my ex-batts from the Essex rescue. One of the girls I chose was a bit butch and the co-ordinators joked at the time that I had picked the cockerel. I was going to leave it behind but they said that they were sure it was a girl so I took her/him home and I haven't had any problems. I was even quite sure that he/she was laying.

 

However, I noticed yesterday that he/she has 1.5cm long spurs, a huge comb (and I mean huge) and the most ENORMOUS wattles. I say that I noticed yesterday. What is more near to the truth is that I got used to her/him and never thought anything about it. Dad, on the other hand wanted to know why he/she was so different to the others...small combs, small wattles, no spurs.

 

Now, he/she and I have had a chat. I have explained the situation that a cockerel could not possibly stay in my garden and that if he/she was thinking of taking this transformation any further then it could NOT involve any crowing.

 

I have heard that hens at the end of their laying life can sometimes take on the characteristics of cockerels but has anybody ever had experience of this. I have had her/him six months now and as I said, he/she has always been butch but the transformation is quite amazing now. The tail is still a bit small but it is more in your face than the rest of the girls. the torso feathering is also more vivid and bright.

Edited June 29, 2008 by Guest

[kannie]

Goodness - how amazing! I have read about sex changes in chickens, but no personal experience.

 

Awful thing is that I'm tempted to ask for photos - now who feel's News of the Worldish.....

[Janty]

I will post pics when my camera charges up.

[Egluntyne]

He could have been a boy all along.

 

Someone posted a picture of a rooster that they discovered at a rescue.

 

Apparently mistakes are occasionally made when they are sexed, and then they are not noticed in the battery house, because of the poor conditions.

 

Have you heard him crowing or noticed any amorous behaviour?

[Janty]

No crowing and no amorous behaviour.

Here are the photos...

 

 

 

 

Tinsel is so different to the others.

[StephanieSB]

Well, s/he's gorgeous whatever s/he turns out to be. Serious question (though it may sound like a lark): can chickens ever be hermaphrodites?

 

But, now, you've had her/him for 6 months already -- wouldn't s/he be crowing by now if s/he was gonna? Why can't s/he stay?!!

[Egluntyne]

Wow...impressive.

 

I've got one with spurs, but they are half the size of Tinsels.

 

I remember **this article** being in the news, which offers an explanation.

 

Happens to one in ten thousand apparently.

[Snowy]

Can't help laughing Janty, sorry! Do you remember posting this?

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=316006&highlight=#316006

 

and this?

 

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=316019&highlight=#316019

 

Took me a while to find them, but I remembered someone talking about an ex batt crowing and wondered if it was you and Tinsel!

 

I don't know - you aren't having much luck with your hens/cockerels, what with the brahma boys as well! Maybe you should just give in gracefully and accept that you were meant to keep a cockerel

[Janty]

There's no question about it. As long as Tinsel doesn't crow he/she has a home. At the moment there is no suggestion that he/she will be rehomed. Sorry if I gave that impression.

[StephanieSB]

Wow...impressive.

 

I've got one with spurs, but they are half the size of Tinsels.

 

I remember **this article** being in the news, which offers an explanation.

 

Happens to one in ten thousand apparently.

 

Now, that is one of the most interesting things I've read in a while. But... if s/he cannot father chicks, has s/he really turned into a full-fledged cockerel? or, is it just one baaaddd case of menopause!

 

Anyway, I am glad Tinsel is staying, so long as s/he restrains the macho behaviour. Just feed her/him soya or expose her/him to lost of lavender essential oil or something -- those are supposed to up female hormones.

[Janty]

I do remember now ... but he/she hasn't crowed since that first week. Hadn't given it much thought as he/she had kept his/her crowing to himself.

As long as he/she continues to do so!

[Janty]

We are going to have lots of chats.

[NClaire]

Looks like someone else is having the same issue http://kelseyinfo.co.uk/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1214580864

[Janty]

Perhaps Tinsel is in good company.

[abwsco]

Gill who I know has had a hen change into a cockerel. "Your Honor" made it into the papers and the Daily Mail online a couple of weeks ago. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1025923/Sex-swap-hen-stuns-owner-turning-cockerel.html

[Jules.]

Does s/he squat when you go to pick him/her up? The feathers look mighty pointy to me

[buffie]

I've heard of this and we saw a fine specimen we brought from a cage in Devon. Not really much idea though sorry. If I find out anything more I'll let you know Jan

 

We've got a Pekin who is decidedly masculine

 

BBx

[Lesley]

We also have a hen with massive spurs - Attila the Hen! - she does lay eggs and we also have her daughter....Grace (as in Grace Jones )

 

I think varying degrees of this are more common than people think.

 

As long as there is no crowing

 

Have you tried isolating him/her for a day or two to see if he/she is laying?

[The Dogmother]

One of my pekins is very butch too, but she still lays.

[jools+6]

OMG . we have just got 6 black rock hens ( like the one in the article above ), the reason we got them was they were sex linked ie you can tell males from females from hatching . please dont tell me they might cock a doodle doo !!!